


The Box

by Plumetta



Series: Breakfast with Peeta [7]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 18:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3457325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peeta brings over breakfast and he sees Haymitch clutching a box as tightly as his knife.  What could be in it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Box

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Peeta had been bringing Haymitch breakfast every day for a couple of weeks. This morning when he came in the kitchen Haymitch was passed out, holding on to a wooden box and moaning as if he was in pain. 

Peeta put the bread on the table and called out from a safe distance. “Haymitch, HAYMITCH.”

Haymitch clutched the box tighter, Peeta noticed his face was red and splotchy as if he’d been crying.

He gently shook his shoulder and Haymitch jumped up waving his knife. When his eyes focused he snapped

“I told you not to touch me. The Capitol hates facial scars on Victors.”

“I was far enough away. Are you okay?

Haymitch grabbed some bread. “I’m fine. Make some coffee.”

Peeta filled the pot with water and said quietly. “What’s in the box?”

“Nothing.”

“Fine, lie to me like Katniss.”

Haymitch sighed. “Peeta, she didn’t have a choice.”

“We are not talking about her….we agreed.”

“Peeta, eventually you’ll have to kiss and make up.”

“Not until the Victory Tour. If you don’t want to tell me what’s in the box just say so. Don’t tell me it’s nothing. You were holding it as tightly as your knife.”

Haymitch opened a bottle and took a swig. “His life is in this box.”

“Whose life?”

“Haymitch Abernathy before the booze.”

Peeta sat down and Haymitch opened the box. He pulled out a picture of a woman in her early forties, standing with her two sons. One a teenager who towered over her and the other a boy of about twelve. The teenager was dressed in an expensive Capitol suit, the other two their best District 12 clothes.

“Your mother was pretty.” Peeta said.

“Yes, she was. This was taken right after I got off the train. My brother looked just like her. I looked like the old man. Then he pulled out a small diamond ring.

“That’s an engagement ring.”

Haymitch nodded. “Yeah, I bought it before I came home. Chaff took me to the jewelry store. I was going to propose to Shanna on her birthday in August. He put the ring down and pulled out his Victor crown.

“Why would you keep that in there?” Peeta asked. “This is your “real” life.”

Haymitch shook his head and put the crown on. “No. This is my “real” life. I won this to come home to them and I lost them because I won.”

Peeta hated his crown, it reminded him of the twenty-two kids who died so he could have it. He changed the subject. “Why did you have the box out today?”

“Anniversary of their death and….I had to put something in the box.”

“What?”

Haymitch shrugged and pushed the box towards Peeta. Inside was a picture of him in his crown and Katniss in hers.

“That’s not part of “his” life. Haymitch said quietly. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever done that was worthy of him so…..I thought it belonged in the box.”

Peeta gently, reverently put everything back in the box. “He is you and you are him no matter what you think.”

Haymitch took another swig. “Is the coffee ready?”

“Yeah. Try the bread I put cinnamon in it.


End file.
